Sprinkler alarm switch



Jan. 9, 1951 v. s. LOVETT SPRINKLER ALARM SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1946 Jan. 9, 1951 v. s. LOVETT SPRINKLER ALARM SWITCH s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 11, 1946 3 7 H 0/ 4 M. IQ Q 5 I 1 4. 71 v Ll -n.. 5 i- 4 .6 9 2 "a 8 5 2 a 8 4 7 a 1. 1 m. 3 6 4 if": 3 3 0 8 o 6 u 6 3 3 www 3 0. O Q #5 w 6 m B W 3 3 0 0 2 m flv MN 70 R wave sm/rzr my;

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Patented Jan. 9, 1951 SPRINKLER ALARM SWITCH Victor Sydney Lovett, Randwiok, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Application December 11, 1946, Serial No. 715,388 In Australia January .8, .1946

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements to sprinkler fire alarm systems capable of giving local .and distant signals on the outbreak of fire in :abuilding or other enclosed. space in which water sprinkler systems for fire extinction are installed. Said improved fire alarm systems are adaptedto be operated in connection with sprinkler systemswhether these are worked on overloaded water pressure or on the water pressure from .a towns water main only.

Accordingto the invention, sprinkler fire alarm systems'in which pressure water from a towns water-"main is used is supplied under control to means associated with a fire sprinkler "installatlon. The said systems according to thefinventionare characterized that on release'of a sprinkler head of the s rinkler installation, due to fire or other conditions arising, electrical fire alarm and indicator means will be immediately operated, owing to impulse cond t ons created by drop in water pressure in the said installation, to give "indication of the exact location'of a fire, or the release ofsaid sprinkler head, in afbu'il'ding or'other enclosed space carrying said installatlon. v

Said sprinkler fire alarm systems according to the invention may have in combination with the means associated with the fire sprinkler installation to receive pressure water from a .towns water 'main, :means enabling the said sprinkler installation of the systems to work .on overload water pressure which is above the water pressure of ,an associated townfswaterservice main.

Other features of the invention are hereinafter referred to.

But in order that the invention may be better. understood and. carried into effect, the same by way of certain examples will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of-one construction of apparatus usable in connection with the invention;

1 Fig. an elevation view with transparent cover of. the casing removed;

.3 is a sectional view approximately on line 3-. i 2 r Fig. 4 is a sectional view on linel-J, Fig. 2;

F g. 5 isan elevation view of. another construction of the. apparatus with the transparent OYBI of a the casing removed;

fi isra diagrammatic viewofan electrical circuit. associated with certain constructions of the apparatus; r w

of the casing removed;

Fig.9 is a sectional elevation on line 9"9,.Fig. 10; of a further construction of the apparatus; and

Fig. 10 is a section on line l0l0, Fig. 9.

"Referring to the apparatus shown in Figs. "1 to 4. In such apparatus. there is a cylindrical casing l which has a back wall 2, aiwindow iw', and a base 4 upon which is mounted a pressure water inlet fitting 5. The latter has therein a pair of passages '6 and i; the passage )6 has an adjustable screw 8 and the passage 1 an adjustable screw 9. The screws 8 and 9 areadapted to control admission of water through their respective passages 6 and 1 (Fig. 3). Saidpassages 6 and 'I. are connected at one end to the pressure water service pipes H] of a town's pres-'- sure water service main, and they are also respectively connected to their co-operativ'e Bourdon tubes ['2 and I3. The latter are rigidly at fixed at one end to the inlet fitting 5 and both said tubes are disposed within the casing '1. At their other ends the respective Bourdon tubes 1'2 and 13' are pivotally connected to one end oi adjustable links I l and l5. 7

Said links 14 and l5 at their other end are respectively adjustably connected to one end of rocker arms l6 and I"! which are iulcrume'd at I'9 (Figs. 1 and '2) in a bracket 20 rigidly socured to the back wall 2 by screw bolts 21. Each of the said rocker arms it and I! has a toothed sector, one 23 and the other 24, these meshing respectively with gear wheels 25 and 26. The gear wheel 26 is rigidly secured to a spindle 2'! which has bearings '28 in the bracket 20 and is spring-loaded by the spiral spring 29. There is affixe'd to the outer end of the spindle 2-! a hub 30 of electric insulated material. A metal spoke 3| passes through the hub 3|] and is adapted at one end to register with a calibrated scale having markings 33 on a quadrant sector '34 which is associated with the bracket 20. The sector 34 has an arcuate slot to receive an adjustable stop pin 36 for regulation of the backward movement of the spoke 31.

Gear wheel 2-5'is mounted on a hollow spindle 3'! through which passes the spindlefl. Spindle with the spoke 3|. The ends of the spoke 40 are returned as at Hand 42 (Fig. 1) to adapt them to make contact with the spoke 3|. Affixed respectively to the spokes 3| and 49 are the electrical leads 44 and 45, these in turn being secured to the binding posts 46 and 41. From the respective posts 46 and 41 are lead wires 48 and 49 which are respectively connected to the electrical alarm 56 and indicator (Fig. 6). The said indicator is adapted to be connected to different sections or floors of a building or other enclosed space which is fitted with a fire sprinkler system.

In operation, pressure water from a towns water main can be supplied to the water inlet pipes I!) associated with the casing l of the apparatus. The latter may be fitted to any section or floor of a building or other enclosed space in relation to the fire sprinkler installation thereof if one is already existing or to any such new installation. The pressure water supplied to said installations will fluctuate according to the rise or fall of the water pressure in the towns water main with which the system is connected.

On release of a sprinkler head or valve 52 (Fig. 6) in the sprinkler installation, due to fire or other conditions arising, the valve control means of the improved fire alarm installation will operate to close electrical circuit to the local indicator panel 5| due to the fact of sudden drop of water pressure at the point mentioned. As one of the arcuately movable spokes (say 40) with its contact point 42, due to the movement of its faster. Bourdon tube I3, is adapted to travel faster than the other said arcuately movable spoke 3|, due to the movement of its slower Bourdon tube l2, electrical contact is made faster by the spoke in to close the electrical circuit to the local indicator panel 5|.

Immediately the nearest control valve or sprinkler head 52 of the improved fire alarm system operates, the indicator shutter 53 on the panel 5| is allowed to fall which gives a visual indication of the exact location of the fire. On such operation, the electrical circuit to the indicator panel is opened, whereby the fall of other shutters on the panel 5| is prevented, if any of the other valves or sprinkler heads 52 should operate on a further drop of water pressure in the installed sprinkler system with which means rela tive to this invention are combined. Upon the fall of the shutter 53 electrical connection is made immediately with the local indicator panel 5| operating the associated fire alarm bell 55 and through suitab e known means associated with the panel 5| to the distant signalling means, say at a fire station or stations. Should the sprinkler head 54 (Fig. 6) explode, then the impulse created by the drop in water pressure will affect the slow moving Bourdon tube l2 whereby the spoke 3| will close with contact 4| and the alarm 50 and indicator 5| will be operated as before described.

As an alternative (see Fig. 5), the said improved fire alarm systems may only be provided with one Bourdon tube I2, with one control screw 8 in the water restricted passage 6. In Fig. 5 similar parts shown therein to those shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are marked with like referencenumerals. The adjustable stop pin 36 is, however, furnished, and it has an electrical adjustable contact 55 with which is adapted to engage the spoke 3|. The latter has a lead 44 connected to the binding post 46. The adjustable contact 55 is connected by a lead 56 to the binding post 41.,

From the binding posts and 41 electrical connections are made to the alarm 56 and indicator 5| as before described. Said alternative means are usable in association with existing fire sprinkler installations which work on an overloaded water pressure therein, say up to 40 lbs, over the water pressure of an associated towns water service main.

By the said alternative means, the water pressure in the sprinkler system ,being static, it does not fluctuate owing to the alarm principle which is used in the said overloaded pressure system. The stop pin 35 with its contact point will be set to suit the overloaded pressure of the system in relation to the calibrated pressure marking on the scale 33 of the said alternative means. The said manually adjustable contact point 55 is then set at say 5 to 10 lbs. below the setting of the contact point of the spoke 3| in relation to the scale 33.

Upon say the release of a springler head or valve 52, the apparatus (Fig. 5) will operate in similar manner to the operation of the apparatus before described, and the contact spoke 3| Will drop back, and allow contact to be made with the manually adjustable contact 55, and electrical circuit as before described will be made to the alarm 56, indicator panel 5| and distant signalling means to give alarm indications as beforementioned.

Referring to Fig. 7, in this is shown a modification of the apparatus in which Sylphon tubes are used and in which static pressure is maintained in the pressure water sprinkler service pipes of the system. The casing 6|! has a pressure water inlet fitting 6| connected to the pressure water service pipe 62. Fitting 6| has therein a pair of passages 63 and 64 with which respectively cooperate adjustable restriction screws 65 and 66. There is shown mounted on the fitting 6i and electrically insulated therefrom a Sylphon tube 61 having on its upper end an electrical contact plate 68 which is adapted to bridge the electrical contacts 69 and 16 mounted in a disc 1| of electric insulated material and disposed and secured within the casing 66. The contacts 69 and 10 have lead wires 12 and 13 connected to the alarm 50 and indicator 5i before described.

The Sylphon tube 6! may be spring-loaded by the coil spring 14 surrounding same. Disc 1| is secured within the casing 60 by a hollow cylindrical spigot '55 which has therein an annular. flan e 16 whereby the upward movement of the Sylphon tube 6'! is limited. Mounted on the contact plate 63 is a second Sylphon tube 11 but electrically insulated from the tube 61 by the disc 18 of electric insulated material. Tube 11 is adjustably secured in the spigot 15 by the screwcap fitting the head of the spigot 15. Sylphon tube "E? is connected by pipe 8| to the passage 64v and Sylphon tube '61 is similarly connected tothe passage 63 by pipe 82.

In operation, as the water pressure in the service pipe 62 of said Sylphon tube apparatus shown in Fig. 7, suddenly falls, the water pressure in the Sylphon tube TI will force the plate 66 so that an electric circuit will be completed between the contact points 69 and 10, whereby the electric circuit to the alarm 50 and indicator 5| is established. Such alarm is audibly given. Said apparatus is re-set when the water pressure in both Sylphon tubes 61 and 11 is in equilibrium, when the coil spring 14 will actuate the tube 6] so that the contact plate 68 will be raised and azssrzmr.

the contacts 69 and for theftwo Bourdon tubesshown in Figs. 1 to a pair of. Sylphon. tubes I I2. andw H3. Similar parts in Fig. 8. to. those. shown inFigs. 1 to 3 are indicated by like. reference numerals. The Sylphon tubes H2 and H3 are mounted upon the water inlet: fitting. 5 and are connected to the passages 6' and '1 respectively. Tube H2 is connected by alink 82 to a radius arm 83 which i's fulcrumedu at 84 to the bracket 29. These is pivotally connected to the radius arm 83 a. link 85'; which is also pivotally connected to a, bellcrank arm 86 of the toothed sector Similarly,

tube H3 has a link 81 pivotally connected to a radius arm 88 which is also fulcrumed at 89 to bracket 20. A link 90 is also pivoted at one end to the radius arm 88 and is also pivoted to the bell-crank arm EH of the toothed sector 2%.

In operation, the apparatus shown in Fig. 8 is actuated in similar manne to that above described with reference to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

With reference to the apparatus shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the construction thereof is identical with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3, with the exception Of features hereinafter mentioned. Apparatus as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 has, an additional Bourdon tube 93. Such Bourdon tube is adapted to control an electric circuit situate in close proximity to the apparatus. An audible alarm is given as soon as the water pressure in the water pressure service pipes of the apparatus falls to a predetermined point. The reference numerals used in Figs. 9 and. 10 to indicate parts shown therein which are similar to the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are identical with one another.

Said Bourdon tube 93 communicates with the passage 94 in the fitting 5 which branches from the passage 1. On the free end of the tube 93 is pivotally connected one end of an adjustable link 95 whose other end is pivotally connected to a rocker arm 95 which has a toothed sector 91. The latter meshes with a gear wheel 88 which is loosely mounted on the spindle 21. The gear wheel 98 is associated with a hub 99 of electric insulated material through which passes a metal spoke Hi8. Spoke it!) has an electric lead ml connected to a binding post H32. Said spoke Mil is adapted to make contact with the adjustable contact 5 53. I

Contact M13 is mounted in a bracket H14 which is adjustable in the arcuate groove H15 in the quadrant I66 of the bracket 2!). Quadrant N36 has a calibrated scale H11. An electric lead H38 from the bracket IM passes to the binding post I 09. From the binding posts m2 and H39 lead wires 1 l8 and I I i are connected to an electrically.

operated alarm (not shown) which alarm can be located in close proximity to the apparatus.

The calibrated scales used in connection with the improved apparatus shown in the drawings and described herein are similar to and. usable for ordinary pressure readings and these when used with means such as the arcuately movable spoke 3i facilitate adjustment of said spoke for proper ope-ration. The adjustable restriction screws used for the pressure water service passages to the apparatus may be sealed for such adjustment. Adjustment may thus be made as to movementof the Bourdon tubes'and to-pre'vent effect of water hammer in=undue vibrationof the;

said arcuately movable spoke.-

Where reference is made in the text of the= specification or in the claims-herein to Sylphon tubes it is to be understood that! such references are intended to include reference to diaphragms which are usable in'substitution for Syl'phon tubes. Through thesa'idinvention meansare provided for combining with existing or proposed new fire sprinkler installations of an indicator panel capable of giving visualand/ or audible indication of thee'xactloca'tion of a fire for immediate inspection either by brigade ofilcialsor otherwise. Time and unnecessary damage to stock and property are thus saved. 'By certain construction of the improved firealarm system as above described,

pumping and loading of the sprinkler installations to a higher pressure than a town's main water supply is also avoided, and also false alarms of fire are obviated due to water hammer, rise in pressure, and foreign matter in the installations. Again, installations carrying the improved alarm means are simple in operation, are dependable and are not affected by any rise in temperature due to extreme climatic conditions arising, as is the case with indicator panels used today which'work on thermostatic principles.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circuit closer for use in sprinkler fire alarm systems, said circuit closer including elements normally acted upon by water under pressure from a source thereof which elements, when a drop in the water pressure occurs as the result of the release of water through a sprinkler head the prinkler system, operate to close an electrical circuit, the combination which comprises a casing. a pair of Bourdon tubes which are respectively fast and slow moving carried in said casing, said casing having a fitting with adjustable control means for admitting water under pressure from said source thereof to said Bourdon tubes,

electrical contact means in said casing associated with said Bourdon tubes and adapted to close an electrical circuit, a calibrated scale in said casing, arcuately movable means associated with said scale, the said contact means for closing said electrical circuit being associated with said arcuatelv mo able means.

2. Control means according to claim 1, including a pair of links. a pair of rocker arms fulcrumed in a bracket secured to the back wall of t e casing, one end of said pair of links being pivoted to one end of said Bourdon tubes and the other end of said links being adjustably connected to the pair of rocker arms fulcrumed in the bracket secured to the back wall of the casing, cooperative gear wheels, toothedsectors on said rocker arms meshing with the cooperative gear Wheels. a spring loaded spindle in a bracket in the casing secured to one of said wheels, the said spindle at its outer end having an electrical inbeing spring-loaded and having affixed to its outer end an electric insulated hub, a second arcuately movable metal spoke passing through the latter hub and which is disposed approximately in parallelism with the spoke passing through the other said spring loaded spindle, the said second spoke having its ends returned to adapt it to make contact with the other said spoke.

4. Control means according to claim 3, in which one of the arcuately movable spokes due to the movement of its faster Bourdon tube is adapted to travel faster than the other said arcuately movable spoke due to the movement of its slower Bourdon tube, so that electrical contact is made faster by said faster mentioned spoke to close the 15 electrical circuit.

VICTOR SYDNEY LOVETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 801,922 Shaffer Oct. 17, 1905 983,396 Oliver Feb. 7, 1911 1,172,199 Dana, et a1. Feb. 15, 1916 1,185,544 Rockood May 30, 1916 1,204,327 Suren Nov. 7, 1916 1,240,049 Jenne Sept. 11, 1917 1,250,209 Norwood Dec. 18, 1917 2,058,082 Jameson Oct. 20, 1936 2,092,560 Runaldue Sept. 7, 1937 2,373,042 Martindell Nov. 7, 1942 

